Grace College Athletics

Stephen Halstead returns to the sidelines for his sixth season in 2025-26. He served as a graduate assistant for his first two seasons, leading Grace's junior varsity squad while assisting with the varsity.

He has helped the Lancers to tremendous success during his time with Grace. During the 2021-22 season, the Lancers excelled with a young squad. A team almost entirely comprised of underclassmen won the 2022 Crossroads League Tournament for the first time since 2012. Grace won all three games on the road, including Mt. Vernon Nazarene, No. 7 Indiana Wesleyan and No. 12 Marian. They became the lowest seed (No. 5) to win the CL Tournament in conference history. They then advanced to the NAIA Sweet Sixteen, marking the deepest run for the team since 2013. Grace's 27 wins were the most for the program since 1991-92. 

During the 2022-23 campaign, Grace enjoyed a storybook season. The Lancers won the regular season and postseason tournament for the Crossroads League, cutting down the nets at home in a thrilling tournament championship win over Huntington. Grace then cut down the nets again one week later after winning its NAIA First/Second Round pod -- it marked the first time that Grace was selected to host part of the NAIA tournament for basketball in school history. 

In 2023-24, Grace was even better, Grace was ranked as the No. 1 team in the country for much of the 2023-24 season. The Lancers won the regular season and postseason championships in the Crossroads League and were the overall No. 1 seed in the NAIA tournament. Grace then enjoyed its deepest run in the NAIA Div. I tournament era, reaching the Fab Four. The Lancers set team records in 2023-24 for longest winning streak (24), most games won (34), best winning percentage (.944, 34-2), least games lost (2), most assists (750) and second-best field goal percentage (.527).

In 2024-25, the Lancers repeated as champions of the Crossroads League, in both the regular season and the postseason tournament. Grace advanced to the NAIA Elite Eight at the national tournament.

Halstead was a four-year member of Grace's basketball squad. He played from 2014-18 and was a lethal outside shooter. He finished his career with 151 made 3-pointers. Over the course of his 115-game career, he shot 42 percent on 3-pointers and 83 percent on free throws. During the 2016-17 season, he averaged 10.2 points.

On two occasions, Halstead made at least 10 triples in a game. His 11 triples against Grace Bible (now Grace Christian) still stands as a program record for most 3-pointers made in a game.

Halstead resides locally with his wife Alexa (Hill), who was an accomplished All-American volleyball player at Grace.